Hello to everyone

What a time for nostalgia it has been, looking through all these (sadly ancient looking) photos. From the comfort of middle age don’t we love thinking about the “good old days”.  What a fun journey life has been.

I have had no contact with ex Watson High school friends since my life choices took me away from Canberra many years ago.

After leaving WHS at the end of 1969 I joined the public service to be trained as a librarian, afterwards working mostly in the Department of Supply then the Prime Minister’s Department. I decided I needed a “proper” university degree to advance further in my career so started a degree at ANU on a part time basis. At around the same time my burgeoning interest in travel manifested itself and on a trip to South Africa and South America at the end of 1974 I met Don White and despite warnings from family and friends about holiday romances we were married in January 1976. Inconveniently, Don was a Sydney resident so I moved to Sydney and we have lived here in Frenchs Forest since then in the house we built during our first year of marriage.

I continued for a short time with library work, but after a break from the workforce to be with our young daughters Tanya and Kelly and to finish what seemed to be a never ending degree, spent some years running a small business then after that some more library work. Throughout that time Don and I have had our Meteorological consulting firm (his expertise, not mine) and we still run that together while Don teaches part time after semi retiring at the end of last year.

We both feel that we are enjoying a wonderful time in our lives at the moment after a fortunate life that has not been without the usual ups and downs and sadnesses that we all encounter. Both our daughters are married and live nearby and we are very much loving the joys that our first grandchild (only 6 weeks old) is bringing to our lives. Our second grandchild is due in February so a lot more fun on the way.

We have, of course, continued to travel throughout our marriage as much as time and finances would allow.

As well as many of the usual places we have also visited slightly more unusual places such as Russia and Eastern Europe by train. Last year on the way to France one of my travel dreams to see the Taj Mahal was realized. Our main aim now is to stay healthy enough to continue with our travels.

Unfortunately family commitments mean I am unable to attend the reunion at the end of the month but I am sure it will be a huge success. Haven’t the years flown! We don’t look any older do we? (well not much anyway)

Cheers

Suzanne White (nee McHardie)